Shiv Sena-UBT leader Khaire 'unhappy' over BJP leader's induction in party

Shiv Sena-UBT leader Chandrakant Khaire, who lost the Aurangabad Lok Sabha seat in the recent elections, on Sunday initially expressed his unhappiness over the inclusion of BJP leader Raju Shinde into the party, holding him responsible for his defeat.

A large number of activists, including former Deputy Mayor Shinde joined the Shiv Sena-UBT in the presence of party chief Uddhav Thackeray at his Shiv Sankalp Yatra in Sambhajinagar.

Khaire, in his speech, first seemed to express displeasure over the induction of Shinde into the party, saying that he was responsible for his defeat as he helped his Shiv Sena rival Sandipan Bhumare to win 25,000 votes.

"However, I want to clarify that I am not upset. Now I expect Raju Shinde to do a good job for the party," he added.

In his address at the event, Thackeray said he deliberately chose Sambhajinagar to launch his state-wide Yatra to tell the "traitors" (the Shinde-led Sena) that the Shiv Sena-UBT will win it next time.

"I am sorry that there is no MP of the Shiv Sena-UBT though it was our winning seat. The (Narendra) Modi government was to win with 400 plus but in Maharashtra, we have brought them (BJP) to 9. I am a fighter, I have come to Sambhajinagar with the desire that I will win again," he asserted.